As is known in the art, predictive dialer systems typically perform call processing operations and manage the two-way flow of data between a host computer, an operator workstation and a predictive dialer and the two way flow of voice signals between an operator and a called party. Typically, call records which include telephone numbers to be called, are down loaded as a batch file from the host computer to a telecommunication system management unit.
As is also known, such dialing systems use groups of call records generally referred to as a "list." The list is typically generated by grouping call records having a common characteristic. Such lists are provided to the predictive dialer. An operator "logs on" to one of the lists through the predictive dialer and the predictive dialer performs the dialing function. The operator must wait until the dialer provides a line to the operator. When the dialer dials a phone number however, the dialer may get no answer, a busy signal or an answering machine before getting a live answer to connect to an operator. When each of the call records in a particular list have been dialed, the predictive dialer automatically "logs off" the operator from the list. Thus, it is possible for the operator to be logged off without ever being connected to a line or party. Furthermore, after the operator is "logged off" the operator typically fails to have any tasks to perform and thus the operator continues to be unproductive.
An operator supervisor will then typically prepare another call list which the operator may log on to. Therefore the operator must manually log on to a second list which the supervisor has prepared and made available to be dialed.
Generally, the operator supervisor must constantly monitor the condition of the lists being dialed and the operator assignments. Once an operator becomes available, that is, once the predictive dialer has logged the operator off a list that is ending, the supervisor must then communicate to the operator which list the operator should next log on to. This process of manually logging on and logging off lists is time consuming, inefficient and causes the operator to experience considerable amount of downtime or idle time.
This problem is compounded when there exists a large number of lists each consisting of a small number of call records. For example, when a list having only 1 or 2 call records therein is provided to the operator, the dialing system rapidly dials the 2 numbers in the list. In this situation, the operator logs on to the list and shortly thereafter the predictive dialer logs off the operator. Thus, the amount of downtime each operator experiences is further increased since the operator is often waiting for the supervisor to prepare a new list and direct the operator to log on to the new list.